Can’t you see baby I’m still on my feet!

Just listening to the first CD I have bought on ages and v pleased I got it – Death of Guitar Pop’s ’69 Candy Street’. Great to hear Neville Staple from The Specials (he’s not in them anymore) on one track. Check them out. Upbeat ska music heading more towards Madness / Bad Manners than The Specials.

So it has been a working weekend for me in the most part. My current consultancy work project is mostly done as of this morning which meant me and the dawgs got to go for a great walk. With my belly I understand how Kanga feels with Roo (and a mate or two) in her pouch when they go wandering to see Pooh and Piglet and that other load of horror-freak Chucky-type cuddly toys.

Cuddly Toy by Roachford, now that was a good track. I have that somewhere but haven’t had much vinyl out over the last month or so other than Tears for Fears The Hurting LP. The fatter one in the band, Roland, was Mr Hula Hoop 1982 after he won a competition at Butlins in Minehead. Fact (sort of). Just sticking with this pointless paragraph for a moment, I was thinking about starting a list with the ten albums I wish I had bought wot I never dun did. One would be ‘Working with fire and steel’ by China Crisis. The thing is I reckon if I got it now I wouldn’t listen to it but I really wanted it at the time. If you have an album you wish you had bought wot you never dun did please message me on Instatweeter with the hashtag ‘The album I wish I had bought wot I never dun did’. I should be in marketing or promotions.

Or a cool dancer.

See I could do this. All I need is someone on the piano, playing whatever they want, and I would light up the stage with my improvised moves. I am like water, like air. Mrs Bob would say I am like gas. A slow-moving gas that possibly leaves a slug-like trail. I know I could do it though. If you think I could make a career out of dancing then please place a picture of me in your car window with a message of support e.g. Bob is the new Rudolf Nureyev.

So a bad Saturday for Stockport County as I mentioned in my last blog but not so for Fiorentina who hammered 6 past Chievo. Forza Viola! I hope Clapton FC tonk Saffron Walden by a similar score in the Essex Senior League tomorrow night. We have been blessed with plenty of goals in previous games so who knows.

Now who knows that – and this one is true – one of the Clapton FC legends is Walter Tull who was one of England’s first black professional footballers and also the first black combat Officer in the British Army. A role model then and an inspiring one even now. Read on….

“Walter was born in Folkestone in April, 1888, to a father from Barbados and a mother from Folkestone, Kent. Sadly both his parents died by the time Walter was 9 years old and he was placed in a Methodist-run orphanage in Bethnal Green, East London. Walter was a keen footballer and in 1908 he was signed up for a local amateur side, Clapton FC. He was later spotted by Tottenham Hotspur and signed professionally in 1909. Walter subsequently left Spurs and played more than 100 matches for Northampton Town.

When the First World War broke out he joined the Football Battalion. He was quickly promoted to Sergeant and fought in the Battle of the Somme in 1916. Despite military regulations forbidding people of colour being commissioned as officers he was promoted to Lieutenant in 1917. Walter led his men, at the Battle of Piave on the Italian Front, through extreme weather conditions and brought his troops back safely without a single casualty. Walter was mentioned in dispatches for his “gallantry and coolness under fire.” He was recommended for a Military Cross, which he never received.

Tragically, at the age of 29, Walter met his death trying to lead his men to safety whilst under German attack on the Western Front in March, 1918. Several of his men made unsuccessful attempts to bring him back to the British trenches and his body was never recovered”.

The above is taken from ‘Crossing the white line: The Walter Tull story’ by Peter Daniel.

Talking sports, thanks to author, teacher and erstwhile tennis pro Greg Howe for tweeting about my recent Bob’s World ‘review’ of his book ‘Chasing Points’ which I read on my hols in Corfu (ahem….). Greg, I take it back, I’d rather read about you than Johnny Vegas or Peter Kay trying to become tennis pros. To be fair they could end up having heart attacks so even the idea of this on my part is irresponsible.

I could do with some exercise to be fair. I have been filling in a food diary since Saturday but all that does is make me hungry. My fat sausage finger – not mentioned recently as it doesn’t do much – remains painful so can’t easily pick a racquet up to play either kids at tennis. Badminton would be the same problem. One finger press-ups are out too as this is my press up finger. Typical. Lucky I can drink with my left hand.

Off to the hospital tomorrow so they can start some light treatment on my manky legs and feet. My concern, but also my hope, is that it will inadvertently lead me to becoming a Marvel Superhero. Considering how some of them got their powers I don’t think it is that far-fetched. I would like to be someone with limited powers so it doesn’t change my life. Perhaps I could jump just a bit higher or stand on one leg for an hour. Not quite sure how that would help fight crime though.

Bob Junior (male) enjoyed Reading Festival. I could nod at a few of the names but no idea who they are or if they are skiffle bands or not. Panic at the disco!, The Courteeners, The Vaccines, Kings of Leon. OK I have heard of them. His clothes went straight in the washing machine and Mrs Bob wouldn’t touch them in case her hand became diseased.

Anyone watched Detectorists? I tried it when it started and gave up as it was a bit lo-fi. Trying it again and enjoying it. Also I now understand why people like Marvel films. They are excellent but I need to start at the start to understand it all. How long would that take? Does this count as a paid job? We watched one of those Jurassic dinosaur films yesterday. Hmmmm, I don’t find them that believable. I’m not that gullible.

Skype call to Oz yesterday to the fab Rabbit Hole and The Crown.

Get this. It was their team time when it wasn’t even elevenses time here. Now that’s magic. How clever are Australians?

As you can see I ran out of content very early on. That is because I tried to a Boblog within 3 days of the last one (which had no real content either).

Enjoy the rest of the Bank Holiday. Read a paper. Wear a coat. Heck even wave at an old man on a bus. You can do anything.